GAI Consultants Positioned to Meet Demand as Florida Economy Improves

ORLANDO, Fla. - July 22, 2014 - PRLog -- As Florida outpaces other states in the economic recovery, engineering and environmental consulting firm GAI Consultants, Inc. (GAI) is positioning itself to serve Florida’s communities through the creation of a new Urban Design Studio. This month, GAI welcomes five notable urban design, planning, and landscape architecture professionals who complement GAI’s diverse team of engineers and planners already in place—strengthening the firm’s capabilities in response to a rebounding Florida economy.

Highlights/Key Facts
• GAI’s Urban Design Studio includes the engineering and environmental specialists of GAI Consultants, the real estate and financial counseling experts of Real Estate Research Consultants, a GAI Company (RERC), the award-winning landscape architects of Bellomo-Herbert, a GAI Company, and now the national urban design capabilities of Pete Sechler’s team.
• This expanded team, which has worked together for well-known Florida clients such as Orlando Health, the City of Tampa, and the Florida Department of Transportation, enhances GAI’s coalition of prominent Central Florida experts.
• The new Urban Design Studio will creatively assist communities with economic, cultural, and placemaking opportunities when the recession fully ends.
• Experienced Director of Community Solutions Pete Sechler, PLA, AICP, heads the Urban Design Studio with new staff members Donald Wishart, PLA, Blake Drury, AICP, Kevin Aust, PLA, LEED AP, and Andrew McCown, AICP.
• GAI’s expanded team offers additional specialization in redevelopment master plan updates, small area urban design studies, streetscape master plans, neighborhood and corridor planning, downtown visioning, campus master planning, and transit station area planning.

Quotes
• Gary DeJidas, P.E., President and CEO, GAI Consultants, Inc.
“We’re excited to have Pete and his dynamic team on board, as the depth of their experience and the reputation they have built throughout Florida strengthens our team and enhances our ability to serve clients with design excellence. As the Florida economy continues to rebound and lead the nation in economic recovery, GAI is positioned to better service our existing Florida client base while expanding our capabilities throughout our Southeast, Midwest and Northeast regions.”

• Pete Sechler, PLA, AICP, Director of Community Solutions, GAI Consultants, Inc.
“I am excited about the opportunities ahead for our collective Urban Design Studio here at GAI. Collectively, we now offer our clients the very highest caliber of redevelopment planning, urban design, landscape architecture, economic development, and real estate, financial, and economic counseling expertise available.”

About GAI Consultants: Transforming ideas into reality® since 1958, GAI is an employee-owned planning, engineering, and environmental consulting firm providing local expertise to worldwide clients in the energy, transportation, development, government, and industrial markets.

Connect with GAI through Social Media on Twitter (GAIConsultants), on Facebook (gaiconsultants), on LinkedIn (gai-consultants-inc.), and on YouTube (gaiconsultants).

About Real Estate Research Consultants, Inc.: In its third decade of business operations, RERC supports clients throughout the United States with customized, innovative solutions, addressing a variety of complex, high-profile real estate and planning needs. Services include real estate development strategy, market, fiscal and economic analysis, public-private initiatives, community redevelopment, financial analysis, and strategic and master planning. The reputation of company and staff has become synonymous with creativity, credibility, honesty and integrity. For more information on RERC, visit www.rercinc.com.

About Bellomo-Herbert and Company, Inc.: Established in 1990, Bellomo-Herbert is an award winning landscape architectural firm that operates under a fundamental planning and design philosophy that seeks to develop design solutions that make a positive contribution to the economic and social values of a community. Recognized as leaders in their field, it is not unusual for their park and streetscape projects to become the catalyst for renaissance, creating wonderful environments that are special places to live, work and play.